The Wait
by Nerielle Tu
Summary: It had been about four years since they'd left... Phoenix/Maya. Pre - Apollo Justice setting


First in a collection of one shots pertaining to Apollo Justice and how things were for Maya and Phoenix after and before the 7 year period was over.

I do not own Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

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Maya and Pearl had only left temporarily when that fated case had come to his doorstep. And truth be told he felt a little bit of shame in his gut when he thought how obvious the evidence would have been if he'd had his trusty side kicks to be paranoid. So when she had called after two months of issues and nearly being forced to stay, he simply told her "You have your responsibilities, it's all right if you stay."

Maya hadn't over reacted or yelled, she'd simply sounded sad. "A….Are you sure Nick? You sure you won't need me around to keep you in line?" He could tell she was trying to hide her disappointment. He had suspected the only reason this call hadn't come immediately is because Maya had fought it. She'd fought to come back to his gloomy office and help him in his cases. He knew he was letting her down. . . but he couldn't face her. His legacy had been partly hers too- it had been held high with the magatama and the channeling expertise Maya held.

There had been a few more words, but it all boiled down to the last lines. "Will you come to visit?" Phoenix didn't hesitate, he wanted to comfort her. "Of course." He could hear her pep up a little. "Alright, Nick! I'll come to visit too!" He smiled a little. "See you then, Maya."

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"I sent you a movie!" she grinned. "I know. I watched it." Maya sounded obviously excited. "Really?!" Phoenix laughed- "Sure did." Maya asked him stupid trivia questions to be sure and he laughed. "Hey Nick- I can come soon! They told me I could come visit for a whole two months. They even said that Pearly could come! Things are so calm over here….and you haven't had any time for a vacation in 4 years…"

Phoenix sighed. "I know…but I'm sorry to say…I'm leaving tomorrow on that big case I was talking about…I'd ask you to come along but like I've said before..it's all confidential." Maya didn't say anything for a minute. "O-oh…" Phoenix felt true guilt in his gut. It was hard to lie to her…sometimes Pearl would even call. She'd attach messages to the DVDs Maya sent-..and it was gut wrenching. "..Do you think after, you could…visit me?" Phoenix tried to sound cheerful. "If that Edgeworth doesn't make it too painful on me, I sure will." He hadn't seen Edgeworth in years. Edgeworth had made his business with Phoenix in the court-..and he had received only one call from him over these years. One Phoenix never answered to. "If he doesn't let you why I'll-" And Phoenix just laughed. And they said goodbye.

"Trip, Daddy?" A voice exclaimed. It was the reminder of what happened- the only light he'd had in his life. He'd been so scared of his friends, the ones he cared about, she was the only one who knew everything and didn't care at all. Phoenix smiled at her. "Yeah Trucy, tomorrow we're going on a trip.." But it was not a case he was going to. It was a vacation with his daughter...and perhaps an escape. He felt uneasy about lying yet again..so he'd just lie about where he'd be going. Not if he was going at all.

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Maya Fey put down the phone and leaned against the wall of her home. Pearl Fey, her cousin, walked into the room with a drink for her. "Mystic Maya! Are you okay, don't tell me Nick said no again!" Maya sighed. "Yeah..he's on business again!" Pearl remained silent for a moment and then piped up. "Well we have a key, don't we?! Let's go and wait for him to come back!" Maya was silent this time.

"...WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT?" And yet..Maya knew the answer. It was because she was getting older and Phoenix was changing and she didn't like it. Pearl laughed and then walked out of the room- "Let's leave tomorrow Mystic Maya!" Maya nodded, and then Pearl left Maya to do her packing.

"Phoenix...what's wrong with you?..It isn' you to be like this."

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He was really gone. The office was empty...and Maya Fey stood at it's front door. With her was Pearl Fey..and they both looked at the sign with an awkward glance. It no longer read Wright and Co Law offices..."We should go inside Pearl." Pearl gave her a nod and Maya took out the key she'd spent an hour finding at her home in Kurain. They walked in to find a weird mess- a blue silk hat and fake spaggheti. "What in the world?" Maya groaned. "This doesn't make any sense....how can he work in such a cramped place..and what's he doing with all this junk?" Pearl looked at Maya, her face plastered with confusion. "Mystic Maya, something weird sure is going on..."

There was silence yet again.

"Oh, I know!" exclaimed Maya, "Let's go ask Gumshoe! I'm sure he'll know!"

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Down at the Agency everything was in a state of confusion. Maya could easily believe it- she remembered coming there with Phoenix all the time and it seemed like it was never calm. She walked up to one of the few men who was seemingly calm and asked him politely, "Can you tell me where Detective Gumshoe is?"

The man paused and then looked like he'd realized something. "Oh yeah. You're lucky- had you come yesterday this might've been hard to answer..." he pointed her to the back, "Turn right twice." Maya nodded and Pearl followed her as they went down the hall. They turned right as told and then came across an office in the back. There they saw a familiar face- Detective Dick Gumshoe. Detective Gumshoe was currently piling a lot of things into a cardboard box.

"Gumshoe!" Maya exclaimed. "That's DETECTIVE Gumshoe to yo-…Hey, it's Maya and Pearl!" Gumshoe grinned at them. "Hey! It's been awhile…well of course there's no reason to see you much anymore……how have you been?" Maya wondered what he meant by 'no reason'. Those words made her feel suspicious…had Phoenix really been hiding something from her? "Oh! Well we've been fine!" Pearl chimed in, "We've been in Kurain! I've been helping Mystic Maya with her training!" Maya nodded. "How are you?" Gumshoe grinned, "Oh great- I'm getting transferred…a promotion!" Maya wanted to say "That sounds more like a demotion" but Pearl said it for her. Gumshoe got frustrated and then Maya piped in. "Anyway we were just visiting town again- we came to see Phoenix and…"

Detective Gumshoe quirked his eyebrow as if he was confused about something. "Oh? I get why you'd leave but not why you'd come back!" He started laughing. "Did you come back to give him a good kick in the rear?" Maya was the one confused now. "Who? Nick?" She asked with a contemplative look. "Of course! Don't tell me you've forgiven him already? That damn con artist- to make a fool of me and to end up using such low tactics!" Pearl gasped at his statement. "What do you mean?!"

"..Huh…what do you mean 'What do I mean'?" Pearl kept the shocked look on her face and answered back quickly. "I meant, what do you mean Mystic Maya's someone special is a con artist?!" Gumshoe argued back, "And I meant 'what do you mean what do you mean?! After what he did anyone would think so!" Maya chimed in now. "What do you mean after what he did?!"

Gumshoe stared blankly at Maya.

"You…don't know what he did … do you?"

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"Nick…Phoenix…he lost his badge?" Maya said in disbelief. Pearl was quiet all of the sudden. Gumshoe nodded. "There was stuff going around saying it was all due to forged evidence. I saw it myself!" Maya sighed. "Is that so?" Gumshoe nodded. "Yeah! Make sure you kick him extra hard now!" Maya shook her head. "Why do you think he didn't tell us Pearly?" Pearl looked up at Maya and sighed. "I think Nick…didn't want Mystic Maya to be disappointed in him. After all….he knew she'd never marry a bum!"

Maya laughed a little. "Well, I think you make an interesting point there- maybe he was just disappointed in himself." Gumshoe had a dumbfounded look on his face. Maya and Pearl both stood up. "Do you want to get a hamburger and then go home Mystic Maya?" Pearl asked thoughtfully. "I think I'll skip the hamburger" Pearl was about to respond with a 'wow really?!' before Gumshoe chimed in.

"You're going to make excuses for him? After what he did?" Maya turned to look at him. "Detective…you know, my sister was once a kid too. And Pearly is still a kid…but I'm growing up…and there are some things I've learned now." Gumshoe blinked. "I know that Phoenix wouldn't answer my calls or watch all the movies I sent him if he just forgot about us. I know that Phoenix wouldn't have left the key the same if he wanted to kick me out of his life. And I know that the only reason he has been avoiding me…makes sense now. It all makes sense now. And if I were to just yell at him and scream like a little girl…I'd never grow up like my sister. And I'd never see Phoenix again."

Pearl looked at Maya. "Wow, Mystic Maya..that was really deep! Nick must really be your special someone?"

And for a moment there was something in Maya. The same thing that was in Mia whenever she stood up in the courtroom with pride in herself. "If I just ran away from Nick forever because of this…I'd be hating him for the same reasons my mother left me. …The bare truth is…The only thing I can do is wait for that idiot to get his badge back!" Gumshoe butted in, "As if that'll happen." Maya walked towards the door and Pearl followed.

"It will"

And Maya Fey left for another 3 years. She knew the only thing she could do was wait. Wait so Phoenix could forgive himself…And she knew somewhere that all those movies and calls wouldn't stop anytime soon. It was the only comfort she could give him- the only way. She was 22 now and she knew stomping and screaming wouldn't get her far.

So Maya Fey…waited.

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End file.
